1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an improved network computer and a system for diagnosing errors. Still more particularly, the present invention provides an apparatus and a method for automatically performing hardware and software diagnostics on a network computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the introduction of the personal computer there was a shift away from centralized, mainframe computing. It was quickly realized that personal computers had to be able to communicate and share resources; this resulted in the emergence of a variety of network technologies. Even with these technological advances, personal computing focused on the individual user rather than the business organization. The network computer (NC) evolved to help move the focus away from the individual and back to the organization. This has resulted in an important shift in the way computers are perceived and used within an organization.
Network computers are the conduits by which corporate resources are accessed. This shift in perspective from the individual to the organization affects the way that information is created, stored, and disseminated. The end result is greater online collaboration, coordination, and communication.
Network computers are configured differently than personal computers with an emphasis on shared resources, including data storage, as contrasted with individual resources, such as hard drives or floppy drives for local storage on a personal computer. As a minimum, a network computer contains a monitor, keyboard, mouse, network interface, and audio circuitry. Software support includes the Java virtual machine and runtime environment, the Java API class libraries, TCP/IP networking support, a web browser, email support, and multimedia support. The use of the Java Virtual Machine and Java Runtime Environment greatly enhances application security. In addition, network server security controls can be used to limit the access of individual users. As one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, although network computers commonly use Java as the language of choice, development of software for network computers could use a wide variety of programming environments.
The NC environment is based on centralized system software, thus lowering overall computing costs. This lower total cost of ownership is a primary consideration for organizations that deploy NCs. Because all software is installed and maintained on network servers, large organizations do not require the huge support staffs needed by those that deploy personal computers and workstations.
Despite the simplicity of the network computer, problems can occur both in hardware and software. Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a diagnostic apparatus and method to quickly determine the source of computer problems and to facilitate repair of these problems.